“He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.” (John 3:34)
There can be a temptation to separate our relationship with God from our daily lives, to see God’s Presence and our vocation to holiness only to Mass on Sundays or moments of daily prayer. We are indeed called through the Eucharist and other sacraments and daily prayer to commune with God and grow in holiness. And God is not content to be contained to those privileged encounters, but rather wants to use those moments to strengthen our spiritual sight to see how He remains with us, and wants to work through us in all places and at all times.
In today’s feast of Saint Joseph the Worker, we have a beautiful image of sanctity. Saint Joseph lived his life as a saint with his family (as we contemplate on March 19) and he lived as a saint in his workshop. God was with Saint Joseph as he labored, as he did his carpentry work, as he earned his bread through the sweat of his brow. God did not wait until Saint Joseph finished his work day to be with him. Rather, in Joseph’s labors, God labored with him. In the dignity of his profession, by which his efforts would serve the needs of his neighbors, Joseph lived out his call to holiness. As a carpenter, he became a saint. So, brothers and sisters, let us ask Saint Joseph to pray for us that we will welcome God into our work lives. Let us ask for the grace to let God show us how He labors with us, so that our efforts too may build up those around us. Let us pray that we may honor His presence more and more in those with whom He labors in our society, considering that God is working to make them saints as well.